Letter-box



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. SPEAR.

. LETTER BOX.

No. 481,772. Patented Aug. 30, 1892.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. SPEAR. LETTER BOX.

No. 481,772. Patented Aug. 30, 1892.

WITNESSES Z/QWM A TTOHNE).

NiTnn STATES JAMES SPEAR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

L ETT E R B O X SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,772, dated August 30, 1892. Application filed November 19, 1891. Serial No. 412,419. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES SPEAR, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Mail-Boxes, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings;

My invention relates to improvements in mail-boxes; and it consists of a mail-box formed of separate compartments, one above the other, each provided with a throat, and one of said compartments having fingers for closing the throat, and the throat of one of the compartments extending above the floor of the one immediately above it.

It further consists of the. combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a mail-box embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section thereof on an en larged scale. Fig. 3 representsa vertical section of a portion on line 00 as, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a view of a portion of Fig. 2, showing certain parts in different positions from that shown in said Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate correponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a mail-box consisting of the lower compartment B, the top compartment C, and intermediate compartment D.

The several compartments are provided with throats or inlets which are covered by doors, as will be seen, respectively, at E, F,

, J, and K.

Behind the throat G is a trap L, formed of depending fingers L, which are pivoted to the wall of the compartment above said throat G, and depending fingers L which are secured to said wall below said throat, the lower ends of said fingers being in contact when in their normal positions.

M designates a chute and guard which is secured to the wall of the compartment D and extended from the same above the throat E, which is wholly above the compartment B, to the divisional wall N between the two compartments D and B, by which provision the contents of the compartment D are prevented from entering the compartment B through,

said chute and guard.

The compartment 0 is adapted toreceive packages, merchandise, &c, the compartment D to receive newspapers, circulars, &c., and

the compartment B to receive letters, thus separating. the different mail-matter. When a paper, &c., is dropped into the compartment D, the fingers L L separate, thus opening the trap. hen. the paper, &c., has cleared the fingers, the latter close, and owing to their position and location any attempt to abstract the paper, &c.,will be resisted and prevented by the trap.

N designates a door, which is hinged to the body of the box and serves to cover the sides of both compartments, whereby when said door is opened said compartments are simultaneously accessible.

Secured to the box is a scale P, which appears on the outside of the same, so that its pan, tray, or support P is convenient for having letters, papers, packages, &c., placed thereon in order to be weighed.

In the wall of the compartment 0 are openings or peep-holes Q, whereby the existence of any package, &c., in said compartment may be readily perceived by the postman.

In order to strengthen the fingers L L of the trap L, theyare formed in pairs and connected at their ends somewhat after the manner of gratings.

For mailboxes as heretofore constructed or in use I may place the compartment thereon and secure the same thereto in any suitable manner, thus adapting the same for the separation of mail-matter, such as packages, &c., from letters.

Evidently letters may be dropped into the compartment 13 and newspapers, dye, into the compartment- D, and a trap may be applied to the throator inlet E when so desired.

The box may be placed upon a standard or pedestal orconnected witha lamp-post or other support, as desired.

In another application filed by me for Let ters Patent for improvement in mail-boxes, and of date November 10, 1891, Serial No. 412,420, a mail-box having separate letter and papercompartments is shown but not claimed therein, being described and claimed herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A mail-box consisting of lower, top, and intermediate compartments, each provided with a throat covered by a door, the throat of the lower compartment extending above the bottom of the intermediate compartment, and the throat of the intermediate compartment having fingers Within the compartment for closing the inner end of the throat, said parts being combined substantially as de- 10 scribed.

2. A mailbox formed of two or more com- 

